Disney&#039;s live-action &#039;Aladdin&#039; casts its Jafar

| Updated: Aug 05, 2017 08:21 IST

Los Angeles [U.S.A.], August 5 (ANI): It seems like Disney has found the evil vizier to the sultan of the city for their upcoming 'Aladdin' movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Marwan Kenzari, the actor who is poised to breakthrough as part of the all-star cast of the upcoming 'Murder on the Orient Express', is in negotiations to star as the villain in Disney's live-action remake of 'Aladdin'. Also, former Saturday Night Live comedienne Nasim Pedrad has landed a role created specifically for the new movie. The story, which aims to remake Disney's 1992 animated classic while also taking cues from the folk tales in One Thousand and One Nights, is set in Agrabah, a fictional cosmopolitan city inspired by locations and cultures from the Middle East to India and China. If a deal is made, Kenzari will play Jafar, the vizier to the sultan of the city who wants to use the genie for his own nefarious plan of taking power. The character is one of the most recognizable Disney villains and was voiced by Jonathan Freeman in the animated movie. Pedrad will land the role of Mara, the handmaiden and friend to Jasmine which is described as a comedic supporting role. Will Smith is toplining as the wish-granting genie, while Mena Massoud is the title character, a riffraff street rat who ends up over his head when he pretends to be a prince in order to win the hand of princess Jasmine, played by Naomi Scott. Guy Ritchie is directing the project that has a script by John August. Dan Lin, who worked with Ritchie on Sherlock Holmes, is producing. (ANI)